7th Year
by subtle love
Summary: Hogwarts is soon to be back in session. But what happens when a certain Draco Malfoy begins to take an interest in the most unexpected person? skip to Ch.4 and onward for a quick overviewromance [revamped, prewritten story. rr]
1. Reunited

**7th Year**

Reunited..

By polar-zephyr

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the characters and Harry Potter, but I own my story..  kinda..

*****

Hermione fidgeted as she was fitted for robes, stepping off of the pedestal willingly as folds of silk were handed to her in a large dark bag. She coughed slightly as her throat sored. "Thank you." The woman nodded with a slight smile as the teenager left. It was going to be a long last year at Hogwarts. Or fast, depending, but.. Smiling weakly, she ducked into the apothecary, lifting an ornate glass orb with diamond-like gems encrusted around it on a slender silver wire like a snake that wrapped around the sphere. _'Slytherin'_ Nearly dropping it, she caught it with a slight fumble and set it back down without releasing her hold. What was it? Pausing only for a moment, she stood, still holding the orb between two fingers. Finding everything that she had listed on the scroll, she moved to the counter, setting the figure down delicately. Who knew what it was, but.. She would have it, for now. She had the extra spending money anyhow.

"That'll be 20 Galleons, dear." Muffling her grimace at the thought of being the gnarled lady's 'dear', she dropped the gold onto the counter and pulled the smaller bag along her arm, leaving the store with the orb placed carefully in her pocket.

"Hermione?" There was an indecisive tone in the deeply masculine voice as she looked up with a slight smile.

_'The twins..'_ "George! Wonderful to see you again!" She smiled warmly as he took one of her small hands in both of his; he had grown since the last time she had seen him; they had matured but splendidly. Mrs.Weasley was proud.

"Well, you, of all people, can tell us apart." Fred grinned behind auburn hair streaked with the traditional flaming red and shook her hand as well. "Good to see you again." The twins had started up their own shop, comparable to Zonko's, and it was doing quite well, despite their parent's more than slight unease. "Percy's wondering how school is for you; he couldn't come down to see everyone himself."

She nodded understandingly and smiled. The eldest Weasley had become the head of the Ministry of Magic, and quickly rising. "Quite well, thank you. They've announced me Head Girl for the last year. Being prefect, I suppose, was their type of premonition for it."

"I'll say." Ron pushed his way past his brothers to greet Hermione with a warm hug, tightening his embrace before he let go. "Have you seen Harry yet? He was supposed to be here a while ago."

She frowned. "Ronald Weasley! You know how to make a girl feel special." She shook her head as Ron shrugged with a grin.

"You know I don't mean to." Fred shook his head slightly, and George nodded as though they had a telepathic connection. It was just because they were twins.

"Well, Hermoine, sorry to disappoint, but we were only here accompanying Ron." George shrugged broad shoulders. "We'll see you around at Hogsmeade though; we're going to be setting up around there, if things go as planned. Catch you later, Ron, Hermione."

Ron nodded and continued to look around before turning to face Hermione, pausing at her face before looking down at the bags she was carrying; she had gotten almost everything needed for Hogwarts, just not books. She would be getting other things as well, but that was all left for necessities. "Done enough shopping without us, Hermione?" He grinned, lips spreading sensuously in a smile as she blushed slightly. "That's alright- at least you'll know where to find everything, right?" Draping an arm around her shoulder easily, he dragged her around until they found who he was looking for in the Quidditch store. "Harry!"

The tall lad looking over a slender broomstick turned to look outside the shop window and froze for a moment before rushing outside, robes billowing behind him. "Ron, Hermione!" He nodded at Ron and leaned his upper body down to catch Hermione in a hug, stealing two of her bags from her. The weight difference was surprising as she pulled away.

"Harry, how are you?" She smiled questioningly as he shifted the bags from one arm to another.

His eyebrows came together. "Hermione, are you feeling quite alright? I'm perfectly fine. A bit deprived of Quidditch though- George and Fred were no use practicing. Too busy with their store and all. Don't blame them though."

"You'd bloody well not!" Ron shoved him and they walked along so that the two could get their supplies as well. "They're going to start the biggest joking business since Zonko's. Most successful too." With a grin they entered the bookstore; Ron and Harry's grins died upon walking in as they noticed the spark in Hermione's eye at the expansive bookshelves.

"I won't be forever you know. The two of you can take your bloody time finding them though. Knowing you two I know it'll be a while." She smiled. "I'll be waiting by the entrance when you're done." With that she walked along the linings of bookshelves, pulling books out only to put them back in, then taking out the school books for good before adding several more, paying at the counter readily before turning to walk to the proposed destination.

"Granger." A snide voice sounded above her and she pulled back a bit, sweeping her gaze up to Draco Malfoy's cold face. She sighed.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" She really didn't have time for this if she was going to be catching up with Harry and Ron. They didn't take so long that she'd have time to get in an argument; hers tended to get long. "I really.. don't have time."

He smirked, emphasizing the aristocratic edge that defined his cheekbones. He really could look noble, if he'd stop being, as Ron put it, such a slimy git. "Whatever you say. You're Head Girl, Hermione." It was more a statement than a question, and she raised her eyebrows. "I'm Head Boy." Silver eyes rimmed with black blinked, and the midnight lining seeped into the metallic shading, pooling in dark liquid spikes. "We'll be living near each other, to say the least."

_'and the worst, for that matter,'_ she added. Or at least she hoped that would be the worst. "Is that all? Because I really _must_ be going."

"Wouldn't want to hold you back." His smirk disappeared and his face was once more cold and expressionless. "See you at Hogwarts, Granger." She nodded stiffly and he left into the rows of bookshelves as Harry and Ron left the counter from paying.

"You alright, Hermione?" Ron looked back at Draco before turning to her again. "If he's done anything.."

She smiled slightly as he frowned protectively. "I'm fine, Ron. Malfoy isn't up to his usual level of.. whatever you might choose to call it. I'm sure I'll survive the mental trauma."

"If you say so.." Harry shook his head at Ron and they made their rounds, collecting all of the school supplies before Harry pushed them up to the Quidditch store again.

Approaching a long, slender broomstick of dark, finely polished wood, Harry ran his fingers slowly along it, wrapping them around it longingly as they slid easily off the sleek handle. The twigs at the end were dark as well, not all identical, but in a sort of pattern, loosely aerodynamic, in a rugged way. "Isn't it just..?" Harry sighed as Hermione eyed the price tag.

"Harry Potter! Have you seen this?" She waved the tag between her fingers impatiently. "If your parents hadn't left you a fortune, you'd be working off debt until your mid-thirties!"

"'Mione.. Don't exaggerate. Please. Have you any idea how _much_ this would help the Gryffindor team? Even just for one player.." Ron gazed at it as Harry spoke, nodding reverently. "Just.. Don't chastise me or anything, if I happen to get it?"

Shaking her head knowingly, she nodded, smiling. They couldn't actually expect her to get mad at them. "Well.. Shall we go down and meet up with your brothers then, Ron?"

"Eh? Oh, they actually did leave when you came with me; they were on their way to getting some of their things patented or something." He shrugged. "Anyhow, are we all done here?"

Hermione looked at Ron in amazement that he would willingly leave this store while Harry continued to gaze at the broom. "Well, I suppose. Ron, are you feeling alright yourself?"

He shook himself. "Yes. Can we stop by Zonko's to buy a few things?" he asked meekly. "Fred and George's store isn't set up yet, or else I would go there, but..?"

Harry laughed, but Ron's eyes remained on Hermione. She noticed. "What? Fine! I'm not your regulator, or moderator or anything!" she exclaimed indignantly. "Do what you want."

"Thanks, Hermione." They stopped by the shop on their way out, picking up a few trick items that could be handy in school. Not to each other though; Hermione threatened to hex the first one who played a prank on her. "Alright then, well, let's get going then.. _Apparatus_." Ron found himself at his house with Harry; Hermione had obviously gone to her house instead. "Well, Harry?"

Harry looked at him questioningly as they walked up to Ron's room. "Didn't your mum invite Hermione over until Hogwarts started?"

"Bloody-! I forgot; I'll go call her." Ron began to run down the stairs rather dangerously, but Harry let him; he had learned to use a phone _correctly_ in 5th year.

*ring* *ring*

Looking up from her relaxed state on her bed, Hermione frowned at the phone for a few moments before picking it up. "Hello?"

There was muttering on the other end. "Oh! Hermione? It's me, Ron." She smiled, folding her legs in a sitting position as she leaned against the backboard. "You're invited to spend the last few nights before Hogwarts with my family, if you'd like."

Glancing up from her book, half-startled, her smile faded for a moment as she thought. "Well.. I suppose that'd be alright.. When do you want me to come over?"

"Anyti-! Hey! What the-!?"

"Ron, are you alright?"

There was a stumbling in the background following the crash, and Ron came on. "Sorry- I dropped the phone when.. nevermind. So you can come over whenever you'd like, okay?"

"Well.. If you say so. I'll be over in a few minutes. Til Hogwarts? Your parents are taking the four of us?"

"Yes, Hermione. If.. Can I go? There's kind of something I need to do right now.. There's this stuff on my leg, and it's a bit.." There was another crash. "Um, I've got to go.. Harry!" The phone line went dead, and Hermione grinned. It was probably just a spider.

Lugging her school suitcase onto the bed (she had already packed it with clothes and her supplies and everything), Hermione grabbed her duffel bag, stuffing clothes for the last few days and nights into it, among other things, before apparating over to Ron's house and walking up the steps to his room, large suitcase in one hand, her duffel bag in the other. "Ron, Harry?"

The two looked up from their chess game, Harry a bit longingly; he was losing terribly. Although he had gotten better, so had Ron. "Oh, Hermione! You did come.. Well, you've got Percy's room, if you'd like. Unless you want to stay in here, that's where..?"

"I'll sleep there, Ron. Just let me go put my stuff away and I'll be back." Hermione shoved her stuff in the room, considerably larger than Ron's, and went back; the chess set had been put away, much to Harry's delight, and the two boys sat talking as she came in. "So is there anything we're going to be doing?" They both looked up and she sighed. It was as though they had forgotten she was staying there as well.

"Oh.." Ron caught himself first. "Not in particular, I don't think.. We could go out, but.. Or we could all just stay here for the next two days, then go off to Hogwarts. A bit like a relaxation period..?"

She shrugged slightly and took a seat at the back of the bed, watching the two boys debate over some Quidditch technique used by ___ ___. It was going to be a long three days.

*****

"Harry, Ron, get up!" Harry rolled over on his side on Ron's bed; Ron was on the floor where he had been shoved, not bothering to get up. "Harry!"

"Alright." His voice was low in the mornings, and his throat was sore, producing an abrading tenor, slightly gravely (as in gravel-sounding, but I'm not too sure whether gravely as in grave and gravely as in gravel are supposed to be spelled the same. I'll check later). "Why do we have to get up anyhow? I thought we weren't doing anything.." He pushed himself up out of the bed and glanced at her expectantly to explain before he fully woke up.

"What? Oh, well.. I just thought.. Well, normal people usually wake up in mornings, Harry." She sighed as he fell back onto the bed. "Get up. Your mom is making breakfast."

"What?!" Ron shot up and quickly changed as Hermione averted her eyes, blushing, then ran down the stairs to the table to eat.

Harry shrugged. "Sorry, but that is a better reason," he said, moving so he could stand to change. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only loose boxers, and he moved over to where his bag was in Ron's room as Hermione watched him thoughtlessly, her mind on something else. "'Mione, do you mind?"

"What? Oh." She snapped out of what she was thinking and left, leaving Harry to change into loose pants and a gray hooded sweater; even if it was hot, it was thin, and kept the heat from getting to him, for whatever reason.

Letting out a huge yawn, he stumbled down the stairs, seating himself at the table as breakfast was put before them all. He heard Hermione say thank you before he and Ron piled the food onto their plates, eating like starving dogs. He preferred ravenous. Mouth full, he tried to thank Mrs.Weasley, but she only shook her head kindly, going upstairs to clean up. "So, Hermione, what _did_ you have planned for the three of us, were we to listen to you and comply."

She frowned huffily. "Nothing. Anymore that is. I _was _going to take all of us to the Quidditch hearing in –"

"Oh, yeah, Harry, remember?" Ron interrupted her. "Sorry Hermione, we'll go." Harry nodded vigorously with a full mouth.

"Well, alright. Finish up then, and I'll go fix up."

The two boys shook their head when she left back for Percy's room to do whatever; Harry finished his mouthful. "That's nice of her, but what is _she_ going to do there? Listen to the lecture?"

"Knowing her she'll probably record it, but that's not the point; we're going. Finish eating, Harry, because we're not going to get another chance." Ron paused, looking at both of their outfits. Even _he_ could care less, but Hermione was a different story. "We'd better change before Hermione gets a better look at us. Nodding, Harry initiated the walk up to the room.

"Ron? Harry?" Hermione walked downstairs to an empty kitchen. They couldn't have gone without her, but they didn't _ever_ take the time to get ready. She thought she had been proven wrong when they left from Ron's bedroom in a new, normal set of clothes. "Ready?" she asked incredulously. This was a first.

"Yes, yes. Hermione, would you stop looking at us like we're your science experiment?" Harry shook his head slightly. "Let's go then. _Apparatus._"

They appeared on the edge of grounds crowded with witches and wizards; Hermione shook her head dizzily and nodded when Harry and Ron asked to go off on their own. She knew that they would when they got there.

"Left by your friends?" sneered a familiar voice.

"Malfoy?" She sighed, straightening her loose pants with a slender finger. "Do you need something?"

He smirked as she looked up at him expectantly. "Not from you, Granger. Why are you here, anyhow? Not to satiate Tweedle-dum and dumber."

"Actually, Malfoy, I did. Some people actually have friends that do that. Not that you'd know," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that, Granger." He frowned, looking at her with distaste. "Looking forward to this year?"

She raised her eyebrows. Was he initiating a normal conversation? She must be hallucinating- this sort of Malfoy didn't _really_ exist. What had she taken in the past 24 hours? "I suppose," she said doubtfully, pinching herself. "And you?" She had asked it to be polite.

"Not in particular." He smirked, and a breeze blew a strand of his coolly silver hair back. It wasn't as splendid in the daytime, but it looked.. innocent. "What're you looking at?"

"Oh,.. nothing. Before.. You said something about the two of us living near each other?" She frowned slightly and glanced up at him as though to ask him what he meant without voicing it.

He smirked. Again. "Yes. Looking forward to a bloody good year, that's for sure." She was fairly sure he was being sarcastic, but there wasn't a funny bone in him. "That was sarcasm, Granger. What, do you want me to say that I'd bloody well love to hurt you enough to keep you out of Hogwarts?"

"Is that a threat?"

"No. Not yet." He frowned; she wouldn't be getting any less-than-cruel comments from him again. "Besides Granger, what would the school do without you as Head Girl? Tell Lavender that she needs to study up and replace you?" He shook his head as she opened her mouth to respond. "Forget I said anything. Why _did_ you come here?"

"I told you."

"You told me what you wanted yourself to think. Why did _you_ come?" His facial expressions were hovering between caring and cold anger, though subtly muted.

"I-.. What? I did come here for them. Surely not to record it into some document. They've already done that."

He smiled softly and she hid her suspicious frown. "Whatever you say. Listen, not that I need to hear this, but it _is_ about Quidditch, and the speaker _is_ rather well-known, so-"

"So you'd rather stalk off and listen?" She shrugged her shoulders back languidly. "Do whatever you'd like; I'm not your keeper." He muttered something incoherent under his breath; She ignored it. "Where are your.. friends?" She sniggered silently. If you could call Crabbe and Goyle friends, much less natural human beings.

"Gone." He frowned with distaste. "They don't care for Quidditch enough to listen to someone actually talk about it. Besides, I don't they'd be able to comprehend most of it." That much was right, at least. "Why are you here, Granger? It's not to make Potter and Weasley like you more, and it's not to take notes on what you can criticize about his grammar or references."

She frowned. She really didn't know what he was talking about. "What, you think I want to play Quidditch?" She laughed incredulously, her upper body still quivering. "Is that what you think, Malfoy?"

Draco huffed slightly. "What makes you think I'm that dense. How could you start playing Quidditch when you're this old. You'd get yourself hurt, if you even got on the team for pity."

"I-!" Hermione halted her indignant tirade. Even if he had a point, he needn't shove it in her face. "If that makes you feel better, Malfoy." _'It's not like you didn't buy the team in the beginning or anything.'_ But she didn't hold that against him. She would think he was quite good, if his attitude towards her hadn't made her see him differently. Though she did still acknowledge how much better he had gotten. "I might not be as good as you in it, but-"

"You'd _never_ be as good as me in Quidditch, Granger." He frowned his distaste and sighed. "You would have tried though, at least, right? Am I right?"

She frowned now. He needn't make fun of comforting bits of nothing. "Well! …Yes."

Hermione was quieter now, and the crowing that she expected to come out of Malfoy's mouth didn't, instead it was quiet and resigned, almost apologetic. "Granger, Granger,.. No need for your ego to break in two. The pompous you is rather.. Well, pompous, but.." He shook himself. Why was he comforting her? She seemed to realize that as well.

"Draco, were you.. Were you just..?" She glanced up at him in amazement.

His lips twitched. "Yes, Granger, I do have a caring side."

_'Just like you have a revolting one.'_ She grimaced as the thought came to her. "..Well." She smiled slightly. "Two days before school begins; Draco Malfoy actually says something to make me feel better." He turned to walk away.

"Mark the time."

*****

Now then..  Seeing as I'm going to be more official about this than I am about _so_ many other things, I can't be having the ten-page long author's notes and all.  So..  I'll just set a few things down right now..

1- I was on ff.net before, but my account was deleted, so I'm starting _all over.  So maybe you've read this already.  I'm sorry, and review if you want._

2- I tend to leave blanks when I don't feel like coming up with something, or when I'm unsure of who/what/wherever the person/thing/place might be, so if you have any idea of what it/(s)he is, tell me.  Or if you have a random suggestion.

3- My resolution for now is that as I get reviews for each chapter, I'll thank that person for them in the next chapter, not the chapter I'm currently working on.  So if you read all of my stuff and leave a review for each chapter, or most of them, you might want to go through them again the next time I update, to see my lovely thanks to my reviewers.

4- Even though I do this sometimes, please don't just leave one review for the whole thing (though that's perfectly alright).  However, to solve this problem, I'm updating slower than I did the last time I was posting.  It seems if my story is too long, people can't be bothered to read it.

5- Due to the above, I'll be updating maybe once every week or two, depending on what's happening with me.  But I'll try to stay a chapter ahead, so if I'm too boggled down with stuff, I can still update

6- Seeing as I'm staying a chapter ahead, if you review for all of my chapters for a bit and/or you leave me the most thoughtful reviews..  I can give out preview things if you leave an e-mail address.  If you're interested that is.

7- In a while, (as in about chapter 10, 11) I'll have room to incorporate people into my story from ffnet.  So if anyone in particular wants to get in my luvly story as a 'guest character' or as a minor/main character..  Tell me, along with what you want to happen to you, and your name and such.  Though I can't guarantee anything, if you're a faithful reviewer I can probably fit something in..  *hint hint*

That's it then.  Sorry if all of that seems a bit too formal, but it won't happen again, I promise.  Well, probably.  Now see that button down there?  Review, please.  If you do I won't need to bug you to in later chapters.  If you don't though..  Constant reminders can seriously annoy a person.. (_joking if that seems insulting.  Just review.  Please.)_

Thank you, and..  –Luv the polar-zephyr


	2. To Say Nothing of Neutrality

**7th Year**

To Say Nothing of Neutrality

By polar-zephyr

Author's Note: I own everything.  ..  Except for the characters..  And the places..  And anything else you might recognize from the Harry Potter books.

*****

_'What?'_ Hermione froze for a moment, wondering what had just happened. Malfoy was actually being somewhat normal. Maybe he had changed over the summer? She shook her head with a slight frown; his father would never allow that to happen, imagine, a Malfoy, sweet and caring to a mudblood? Continuing to walk to the food stand, Hermione paused, pulling out some money and dropping it on the counter as she received a small container of pebbled ice cream flavored vanilla. "Ginny?"

The familiar redhead grinned as she snatched the ice cream and spoon from Hermione, twirling the plastic silverware between two fingers. "So, Hermione, how've you been?" Ginny smiled mischievously, ever the fun-loving girl.

"Ah, fine?"

The younger girl continued to smile, giving back the container of forgotten ice cream. "That's what I thought, seeing as-." She coughed to cut herself off purposefully. "And what were you doing talking with Malfoy? He actually looked like he was being.. I don't know, normal."

Now Hermione laughed, offering the container back to Ginny. She didn't want it anymore; Ginny took it with a questioning look and waited to a response. "Well.. He doesn't think I should be here." With a slight smile, she added, "I don't really think I should be here though; Ron and Harry left me as soon as they figured out where they were, and, well, I've never liked Quidditch _that_ much, you know?"

"'Mione! Don't let Malfoy get to you. You _are_ interested in Quidditch." She shifted. "Really." She paused for a moment to take a scoop of the ice cream. "Besides, if you keep giving me free food I will be too."

"Harry, look at this!" Ron pulled him by the sleeve to an ancient broomstick that had been used until it had been worn to the point that it looked sanded.

"You know, it looks a bit like yours.."

"Be quiet! Besides, that isn't too much of an insult.. It doesn't look bad at all, though the handling might be a bit.." Harry shook his head in amazement and continued along, halting as they reached the seating area for the lecture.

"Well, if it isn't Potter and Weasley." A snide voice sounded beside them and Ron's cheeks reddened, though only slightly. "Do you think you'll be able to keep up with the speaker? Best in his time."

Harry frowned as Ron's fists clenched and unclenched. He wished Malfoy would stop aggravating Ron; he didn't do anything to him. "Do you need something, Malfoy?"

"Funny you should ask; Granger asked me that some time ago." He smirked as Ron's knuckles turned white. Harry was harder to annoy. "Is there a reason she was left all along for me to rag on? Or is she just the easiest target out of you three? You're normally inseparable. Or is this where that.. bond ends?"

"Malfoy." Harry's tone seemed to tell Malfoy he was pushing it. "Hermione isn't the biggest fan of Quidditch, as you might've noticed. She went off by herself because she didn't feel like dealing with two people who are."

"Who are what? Quidditch's largest fans? I'm not quite sure about that, Potter, but I'll get back to you. I have a few more people to annoy. G'bye, Weasley. Good luck finding a cheap broom."

Ron looked like he was going to sucker punch him, but he kept it to himself. "If he did anything to her,.." he growled, fists balled up.

"Don't worry Ron. We'll both deck him then. For now, let's just find her? Speak to her a bit at any rate." Ron nodded, but the two soon got caught up in another showcasing. Not that they didn't care to find Hermione, but they could see her every day. This they couldn't. Besides, Malfoy wouldn't do anything to her while there was a crowd.

"'Mione!" Ginny nudged Hermione, who had started to wander off again thoughtlessly.

"Sorry, Ginny. My mind's on other things. What is it?" Hermione cut her off as she opened her mouth. "Oh! Sorry. Time for the lecture, right?"

She smiled weakly. "Um, yeah. That's the reason everyone's here, remember?"

Hermione shoved her playfully before they began making their way towards the seating area. There were several, but they wanted to at least get seats where they would be properly faced. "I'm not _that_ thick. Look, there's Ron." Ginny sprinted forward to ram into her brother playfully as Hermione approached the two, Harry giving her a quick squeeze as he glanced around. "Mm, where've you two been?"

"Ah, nowhere. Just comparing the similarities of the brooms they had back when and Ron's." They sat, Hermione beside Harry and Ginny, Ron sitting on the other side of Ginny. "So,.. Hermione, we hear you had a run in with Malfoy?"

"What?" Her eyebrows came together and Ginny looked up at her expectantly. "Who told you that?"

Ron cut in. "Malfoy."

Her lips twitched and she shrugged slightly. "He just doesn't think I should be here. Seeing as I don't play Quidditch."

"Well that's ridiculous! Ginny doesn't play Quidditch!" Ron nearly hit his sister in the head when his arms swung out. Ginny was, in fact, training. Secretly, and under Seamus Finnigan. He was a good teacher, but not the best player for the sport.

"Um, Ron, getting a little close there." Ginny gently pushed her brother's arm down and motioned toward the stand. "You guys, be quiet, okay? He'd going to be up soo-"

Right then the speaker did in fact appear at the front of the building crowds. "Good afternoon, everyone." The man stood up onto the stand and it was rather quiet for a moment as the crowd finished filling in. It wasn't as much as Ron and Harry had thought there would be, and the man began his lecture.

Draco Malfoy stood at the back, casting his demeaning gaze over the crowd before it landed on Hermione Granger. _'Mudblood.__ Filthy, rotten, mudblood.'_ He turned his head in disgust. She had broken into him, but he wasn't about to let that happen again. Sure he had been less than cruel to her, but that gave her no excuse-! He was about to stalk off when she stood up, muttering something to Harry beside her. Potter seemed to try and gently pull her back into the seat, but she shook her head gently and walked down the aisle as ___ continued talking, saying something about how he knew the son of the son (etc.) of the founder of Quidditch. As she neared the end he silently stalked to the side. Unintentionally, of course. He never meant to sneak up on people, though it was a startlingly helpful trait. "Granger."

She nearly jumped, swiveling sharply to face him. "Oh-!.. Malfoy?" Chestnut hair fell lazily below her shoulders, cascading down her back in slender ripples. It was much improved from the first three years of frizz. She looked at him strangely. "Do you.. Need something?"

"Always the same question, Granger. Break out of the box, or cubicle for that matter." He frowned at himself, turning. He would have to shut up. Why did he approach her anyhow?

She paused for a moment. "Well then, how are you, Malfoy? I'm so longing to hear an answer."

"Stuff it."

"Ooh. Yeah. Great response there. Next time why don't you try something more original, like I know you are but what am I?" She frowned in a slightly cute pout. He might need to see a therapist. "Why bother changing if the reply is going to worsen?"

"And my responses mean that much to you, Granger?"

To his surprise she blushed slightly, though she quickly reverted to the normal, slightly tan cheeks resting on high, slender cheekbones. What was his problem, anyhow? "What? No. I just want to be on neutral terms, if we're, as you say, going to be living even remotely near each other."

"And you take these precautions with everyone? I had the feeling I would be excluded from such treatment." He frowned, raising his eyebrows at her suspiciously. "There isn't something you're not telling me, is there?"

"And if there was, why would you need to know?" She smiled; she got him. "We're not going to be _that_ close, Malfoy."

He frowned, but she had caught that. "Neutral, hm? What do you mean by that then?" He raised his eyebrows expectantly. From his father he had found that the Head Boy and Girl would each have their own separate room, but those two rooms would be separated by only a shared common room and balcony outside.

"What do I-!" She paused upon realizing that the question itself was neutral, without any implications. "I mean not fighting and arguing all the time, Malfoy." She paused. "Though sometimes it's nice to debate.. not all the time. Alright?"

His eyebrows raised once more, disdainfully. "Never thought you'd stoop to bargaining for peace, Granger. Never thought." Draco shook his head with an amused smile and she frowned, looking up at him.

"If you don't want to then tell me so, don't be derisive." She took a step back. "But you didn't answer my question."

"Right. I'll do what I please, Granger." He smirked. "But I really don't think I have a choice. I'll be seeing you."

After she had went to the bathrooms and come back, Hermione sat thinking at her seat, only half paying attention to the speaker and her surroundings. Once or twice she felt Harry nudge her as ___ said something important, but that was all. Malfoy was being semi-_nice_ to her. This was strange. Didn't he hate her or something, for being a Mudblood, associated with the Boy who Lived and Ronald Weasley, the 'poor git'? Yet he had just, sort of, agreed to at least try to be peaceful? Granted he said he didn't have a choice, but that was just what he had said. What was up?

"Hermione." Harry's voice sounded softly in her ear and she blinked once as she gently turned to almost face him. Was ___ still speaking? Yes. "What're you thinking of?"

She smiled slightly. "What?" She turned slightly away consciously; their heads had almost touched.

"You're obviously not thinking of Quidditch."

Hermione nodded slightly, now for some reason paying rapt attention tot the man. "Just about school. Hogwarts. What our last year is going to be like." She nudged him. "That sort of thing."

*****

It was finally over. Thank god. Even Harry had gotten bored by the first hour; Ron had begun to half-sleep by the next thirty minutes. "So.. What did you think?" Hermione recoiled at the glares she got. "The two of _you_ wanted to go to this, remember?"

"Your idea.. in the first place."

"You think you wouldn't have gone anyhow, had there been some reminder?" She shoved Harry as Ginny appeared in the kitchen, and he stumbled into her, Ginny blushing wildly.

"Sorry, Ginny." He looked up at the ceiling and then over and down at Hermione. "Well.. I suppose," he muttered. "I didn't know someone could ramble on for so long about.. I don't know, the times he's broken something, or how many times he's narrowly avoided breaking something. I thought it was about Quidditch techniques, not old tech-masters."

"We all thought that, Harry," Ron sighed, propping himself up against a wall.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "So now what are we going to do?"

Ginny grinned. "It's three in the afternoon, 'Mione. What do you think boys do?" Hermione's genuinely unknowing expression caused the younger Weasley to laugh lightly. "They sleep. Like logs." Ron had once told her the male race preferred bears over that, but he was already half-asleep anyhow.

"G'night, Hermione, Ginny.." Ron stooped up the stairs; they heard him collapse onto the floor as he entered his room. Nodding at the two slightly, Harry followed.

Ginny shrugged. "It _was_ a three hour speech. You can't expect men to stay awake through all of it." Hermione nodded a bit in agreement. "But.." Now Ginny's face blushed a bit. "I think I'm going to sleep too." She shook back at Hermione's wondering look that stated clearly 'What is the world coming to?'. "You know, just to try it out?"

"Whatever you say, Ginny. If I'm not here when you guys get up I'm shopping." Ginny trudged up the stairs apologetically, leaving Hermione to do nothing but what she had said she would do. "When all else fails," she whispered. "Shop." It was a method she had learned a few years back, but it worked splendidly. "_Apparatus._"

Arriving just outside of Diagon Alley, she drew her purse up to her closer, tapping the brick and entering briskly. The shops were as crowded today as ever, with last minute shoppers for Hogwarts bustling around.

"Hey, Hermione!" Seamus Finnigan caught her eye and hesitated a few moments to walk beside her, carrying huge bags. "How are you? Staying with Ron the last few nights?" He winked suggestively and she blushed, shoving him playfully.

"No! Well, yes, but not like that." She frowned at him, not quite meaning it, and continued walking along, quicker to keep up with his increasing pace. "Are you looking forward to the school year?"

"Hah!" He paused for a moment as she looked serious. "I mean.. no?" She shook her head and he shrugged. "Anyhow, I think I'll talk with you later at school, about, erm, homework," Hermione smiled disapprovingly, "But I've got to catch up with my mum. She's paying for everything, you know, so-… Hey! Mum! Wait up!"

*****

Hermione had shopped. And shopped. There was nothing she needed. Several potion ingredients from the apothecary, as well as a few books on potions, spells, and basic histories, but that was all. She was in a small store filled with several organized miscellaneous things. Lifting a silver sphere lightly, she shook it in one sharp movement, and the telescope came out in its many layers. Gingerly she lifted it to her eye, muttering a few words to adjust the amount it magnified. Something suddenly blocked her view and she dropped it, startled, looking into the eyes of Draco Malfoy.

"Wouldn't want to drop that, Granger." The hints of a genuine smile showed at his lips, but his expression wasn't there. Looking down, she found that his hands were wrapped around hers, cupped as hers had been shaped, to cradle the compact telescope gently. They remained like that for a moment before he abruptly pulled away, as though realizing what it must look like. "Did I startle you?" He smirked; here was the Malfoy she knew. Or not, seeing as the question voiced that he cared somewhat about what happened to her.

"A bit, yes." She smiled slightly. "But I suppose that's to be expected. Last minute shopping, Malfoy?" She said the name with less malice than usual.

His lips twitched as though deciding what to say. "Not exactly. Looking for things I might want." He paused, pulling one of her bags from her and looking over the title of one of her books. "Potions? Going to Polymorph again?" Her lips twisted into a frown. "No need, Granger. I know it was your idea. Potter and Weasley, not too much offense, aren't bright enough."

Hermione smiled slightly. "No. I just thought it might be useful.."

He decided not to comment. That was a first. "Well.." He shrugged, handing her bags back to her as she shifted uncomfortably. "It doesn't matter to me. I might ask to borrow it, once in a while though, is that alright?"

Draco Malfoy, asking her permission for something? She nodded dumbly and caught herself as she was about to remark on that. "So.. What do you think of the living arrangement?"

  He appeared to shrug slightly, though she wasn't sure.  "I don't really care."  He was just being indifferent now.  "I suppose it'll be nice to have my own room for once, and a commonroom that's not quite so crowded."  To mention nothing of the balcony.  "And the sharing.."  He appeared to frown.  "I can put up with that."

"Ah," she said brilliantly. Hermione really couldn't think of anything to say; since when did Malfoy approach her to initiate normal conversation? "What did you think of the lecture?"

His frown told her everything. "It was fine. Though I believe everyone was under the impression that his speech would be on things other than himself. Particularly techniques and styles that he used in Quidditch when he was still able to play. Not on the mishaps that had occurred of that he had narrowly avoided. I notice your friends slept rather soundly?"

"Yes." She smiled at the memory. Ron next to Ginny was leaning on his sister, too much weight for the younger Weasley, who was leaning over to Hermione for support. Harry, in addition, was already asleep, but he at least slept sitting straight up. "Ron and Harry didn't find the lecture to be as interesting as they thought either." If she was to assume that Malfoy didn't think that it was as interesting as it could have been.

Draco frowned. This was almost a normal conversation. Like he would have with some relative that he didn't particularly care about. This needed to stop. He couldn't be nice to a mudblood. "I didn't think you would've stayed awake. You're not even interested in Quidditch." Still neutral. Damn.

"Well, it's more I don't care for doing the actual sport rather than watching it played out before me." She shrugged slightly as she continued to roll the ball from one hand to another. It was almost irritating. "What?"

"Nothing." His voice was a low growl, and he knew it. This was better. "So you prefer watching people do something that they worked for then not even care for it rather than figuring things out and actually experiencing it?"

Now Hermione frowned, eyes caught between an angry flashing and a bright twinkle. It was.. "You yourself told me not to earlier, didn't you, Malfoy?"

Why did she keep track of those things? He didn't bother trying to find a reply; it was hopeless, and even if he did, he would have to backtrack. No need to; Granger could make the extra effort if she wanted to continue talking to him. He shook his head as she raised her eyebrows questioningly, slightly pompously, as he had told her earlier as well. "Yes, Granger, I did. Because you would absolutely make the Gryffindor team a horrendous match against anyone, so I take it back, join, I don't mind. The whole of Gryffindor might, but hey, that's alright, why not?"

She hated his sarcasm. "Whatever, Malfoy. Listen, remember the neutral thing?" He nodded slightly. He knew where this was going. Good; now at least he could undo whatever nice things he had told her. "Forget it. I'm sure we can both live without that."

Draco nodded. "I'm sure we can. I'll just avoid you in the common room, and the balcony, and the hallways, and classes, and we'll do great." He smirked, half frowning. At least he could aggravate her. "I'll see you around, Granger."

Hermione watched him leave the shop. Had he come in there only to speak with her? Or had he been in there before and she just hadn't noticed? Or.. '_Who cares?_' She frowned at herself. For whatever strange reason, she did.

*****

Ohhhh…  I'm sorry I didn't update as soon as I should have..  I just wanted *sniffle* one more review..  *sniffle*  for ten..  Okay, I'll update to the next chapter when I have 20 reviews TOTAL, so that's, what, 11 reviews?  Right?  Teehee.  Thanks to my reviewers, really.  And..  Everyone reading this fic has to go over and read Re-living History, if you want a quicker updating story.  For whatever reason it got lots (by my standards) of reviews, and so I can update faster.  *grins*  So thanks, and baaaaaaii! *runs*

Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers, for reviewing:

**Oppy**: Everyone..  This is the single greatest author of Ron/Hermione stories EVER.  Thank you, Oppy, for being my first reviewer, and I'll faithfully review all of your stories ever, because they're all SUCH the best.  You're going on my favorites list.

**Faxton**: Of course I'm not a Draco /Hermione shipper!  How ridiculous!  I'm only kidding, of course.  That might change a bit though, as time goes on..  *grins evilly*  Don't look for that soon though.  Just a little something to haunt you..  Well now then, there is obviously more; this is it!  If you like minifics though, then you can check out my boredom fic (I wasn't really bored, but it's lame enough to be one), which is also Draco/Hermione.  I like it *not*..  Taaaaa!  

**BlondieChild**: I'm checking up, I'm checking up!!  It is not theeeeere!!  And thanks.  I'm trying not to go overboard with description though..  A few months back everything I wrote, including sentences, were well over a paragraph long, simply because my stupid thesaurus has too many synonyms for each of the freakin' words.  However.. Yeah, y'know, I've given Draco and Ginny some thought..  But I don't know if I could write it.  I can't find the same 'inspiration' like I do for Hermione-Draco.  Not that it's written as though it was with inspiration, but whatever.  THANK YOUUUUUUU!

**Snakeyes**:  *runs for cover, avoiding the masses of brainy-creativity-ness waves escaping from the reviewer* Aaaaah!!!  Teehee *grins*  Just joking.  I'm so glad SOMEBODY is doing my be your own person fic.  But y'know, I was thinking about it, and it's kind of a Mary Sue or whatever fic..  Kinda sad, but I wanna anyhow.  I've just gotta write a fic with me in it, and with more people involved, I won't be the only one reviewing *grins*  Well, I will e-mail you; ha!  I did already, but that's not the point.  Ta now then.

**margarinequeen**: Ohmygodthegeniusauthoressisreviewingmyficiamtoostunnedtousethespacebar.  My apologies for that last strange bit there.  Ah..  I ..  um..  UP-DATED!!  Yaay!  Haha, you don't look so happy.  Could it be that I- *pauses and dances to 50 cent.  I can't dance for crap* - haven't updated in forever that has induced that frown?  Hahaha, 15 reviews..  I suppose that was a bit much to wait for.  But..  Well, I kinda want a nice steady flow of reviewers, right?  I'll go out and review other peoples so they'll review my fic and things will move along quickly.  Of course, I don't review just anyone's story.  Only the select, elite few..  *grins*  or those that review my stuff.  Muchos Gracias!!!  (sorry.  I don't take Spanish.  Merci)  Ta now.

Oh, wait.  No.  I am so happy.  I am in an inside *not quite, but who cares* joke!  Oh joy.

**Black Rose**: I'm glad.  I don't know..  some of my chapters are kinda short..   Thanks for the review and compliment!  Have a nice day!  (I just thought thanks for the review and the compliment sounded like something like thanks for the bed and breakfast, as in like an inn or motel or something, and just had to write/type have a nice day.  I'm just that way.  *snorts-not*  That rhymes, doesn't it.

**blossom318**: I'm so glad no one got up from their chairs and shot me for asking them to review my crap story.  And I'm so glad!!  I have a faithful reviewer already!  Yay!  And I'll do the same to you, yup!  Ta now *winks and waves bai*

**daiZe**:  Oh thanks!  I dunno 'bout the in character thing though..  At the moment, yes indeed, however..  *laughs evilly*  just don't kill me, 'kay?  I changed the setting thing (I thought I already had..  hmm)  THANX!!!  Shee..  Some people REALLY know how to flatter people..  grr..  I may just steal your technique.  (haaahahahaha..  Um..  oh, you mean that was an actual compliment?  Ah..  *grins*  Just joking!  ..  umm..)  And you're really good!  Wowie..  People, (and daiZe, here is a plug for you) read daiZe's fics, okay?  Just go to the review page, and if she has reviewed her penname will be there.  If not..  That is her problem.  *smiles innocently*

**natalie**- haha.  I haven't updated this in forever.  *glances warily around at all of the advancing people who reviewed and never got an update*  um..    Thanks..    *looks back at the review and chortles softly*  haha.  You'll see more of his caring side *evil grin*  trust me.  And THANKS for reviewing.


	3. Beach, Anyone?

**7th Year**

Beach, Anyone?

By polar-zephyr 

Pre-Author's Note: See my bio, would ya?  And if I've been reviewing your stuff, e-mail me with a link and where I last reviewed..  I've got so much to catch up on.

Author's Note: ION.  Haaaaaaahahahahaaa..  Don't ask what's so funny about a disclaimer acronym that has nothing to do with the disclaimer.

*****

"'Mione?" Ginny walked into Percy's bedroom, where Hermione was sitting on the bed, skimming over the potions for something, anything interesting. "Harry and Ron are up now, if you want to go talk to them."

Hermione looked up from her book, fluttering her fingers as a bookmark appeared to mark the page. "Are they talking about Quidditch?" she asked as she set it in the folds.

Ginny laughed. "They're too sick of it for now. Enjoy the phase while you can. Come on; we're going to go swimming.

Hermione smiled lightly, setting the book down onto the bed. "Where?" The Weasleys didn't have a pool, and Ginny couldn't apparate to any beach.

"'Mione, floo powder?" Ginny seemed to know what she had been thinking; her face always gave everything away. "But we're going to the beach. I'm not sure which one, for now. Harry and Ron seemed to have some idea, but-"

"Don't let those two decide," Hermione interrupted. "With our luck and their.. well, their being them, they'll probably wind up taking us to some nude beach. Not the best place to relax at night."

Ginny nodded thoughtfully, heading towards the door. "Okay, well, I'll check that out. You pull on your swimsuit and I'll tell you where we're going in a minute."

With that she sighed. She supposed she would just tan or something before they left for school; she hadn't gotten around to it that much over the summer, and she could read her book while she did. Besides, it would be relaxing, she supposed. Getting up, she pulled out of her clothes after shutting the door and locking it, taking out her two piece swimsuit and trying it on. She grimaced when she looked in the mirror; it was far too skimpy to go to the beach in, more for some at home tanning kit, she hoped. She hadn't actually tried it on in the store, but she had assumed, as a swimsuit her size, it would cover everything properly.

"Hermione?" The familiar voice sounded outside of the door and she walked over, unlocking it to let Ginny in. The youngest Weasley wouldn't care if she just pulled on a _large _shirt over it while she was talking to her. Hermione opened the door to Ginny, Harry and Ron waiting impatiently behind her. "Whoa! Her-"

"Ginny! Hermione backed away when Ron and Harry looked up from their 'discussion' to stare at her. Grasping Ginny's hand, she pulled the girl in, shoving the door shut and locking it. "I wasn't expecting the two of them to be right there."

"Self conscious?" Ginny smiled knowingly, sitting down on the bed as Hermione pulled on a long shirt over the swimsuit, muttering something incoherent. "Well, we were going to go to ___ beach, if you still want to come.." Ginny was so sensitive. "If you don't that's okay, but I don't want to be stuck with the two of them near water. It might get dangerous without your, erm, supervision."

Hermione sighed lightly, looking through her bags for another, less revealing swimsuit. She didn't want to stoop to a one-piece though; Ginny would have a fit. "I'll still go, don't worry. My conscience wouldn't let you go by yourself; the boys would terrorize you half to death."

"Hermione, we can hear you out here!" Ron's voice sounded in a loud shout from behind the door, and Harry was probably nodding, the thought that the two girls wouldn't see him not connecting in his brain.

Ginny shook her head. "Well, at any rate, just come downstairs when you're ready. We'll get the floo powder out. Alright?"

With a nod, Hermione saw Ginny off, locking the door again before Ron or Harry tried to come in. She pulled out her slender black one and tried it on; the fit was perfect, and it covered her, at least, paired with loose gold flip-flops. Draping a thinly fluffy gold towel around her waist loosely, as well as pulling a loose dark shirt over her head, she slipped a few things in her color-changing beach bag and filled it with other things, changing the hue to a muted gold before she left the room and went down to the fireplace. She still didn't understand why the wizards and witches wanted such a place to be used for floo powder.

Ginny went first, lugging her towel in her beach bag; she wore a long shirt over her swimsuit that hung just below her knees. Then Ron, with loose surfer shorts, and then Hermione; Harry would go last. Hermione stepped out of the sparkling clean fireplace that rested in a shop near the beach selling beach clothes and swimsuits, among other things. "Well, this is nice." Hermione fingered a slender gold neck chain that rested in the jewelry section.

"Hermione, we're here for the beach, not to shop" Ginny reminded, dragging her out the door to the beach. The sky was slowly darkening, though it was still relatively light now. "Okay, so you guys," she said, shrugging at Harry and Ron, "can go swim, or whatever. We're going to sit here for a while." Ginny paused. "Right, Hermione?"

She nodded, and Ron and Harry sat impatiently for a while as the two girls spread out their towels and laying down on them, Hermione rather self-consciously as she pulled out her book. "You guys can go, you know." She smiled as they left heading out into the ocean and getting pulled out by the tide, then attempting to body surf in. They were both physically strong, but as for talented in the water; they could forget about it. "So, why did you want to come to the beach anyhow?"

Ginny looked up from her magazine, laying it down next to her. "Guys. They're rather nice to look at in their swimsuits, Hermione, have you noticed?" She peered across the beach, and Hermione followed her gaze to a guy just coming in from the water, surfing.

"Sure." She picked her book back up, resting her head on the folded towel she had packed and continuing to read in the comfortable position. "But I don't go out of my way to notice it, Ginny. If a guy comes up, then so be it. If a cute guy comes up, so be it. It just happens to be nicer if it's a cute guy." Her facial expression hadn't changed.

"Yeah, well.. What about Ron and Harry?" Ginny looked over at her curiously, and unknowingly rapped her fingers sporadically against the magazine that lay on the towel, forgotten for the moment.

Hermione stared at her incredulously. "Ron? Harry?! Wha- I don't think either of us think of either of them like,.. that." At least she didn't think so. "Ginny?"

"I was just wondering." With that the Weasley picked up her magazine, looking up from it every once and a while to gaze at some random guy walking by.

"Ginny, Hermione!" Ron jogged up the beach to where the two were. "Come on down to the ocean, come on! The water is really great, and the tide isn't that strong." He shifted in a moment of stillness. "Please?"

Rather reluctantly Hermione got up, to the surprise of Ginny, who got up just because she did. "Well, alright.." It was already dark, so she couldn't very well read anymore. Rubbing her hand on her upper thigh, she was suddenly conscious of her body again, quickly getting into the water to avoid being seen too extensively. "We're actually just swimming?" Hermione raised her eyebrows. And that was considered well spent time? When they could be reading or doing something useful? Shrugging to herself, she walked along the flat area of the water's floor before it dropped off quite suddenly. She swam out to where Harry was, treading the water rather nervously as Ron and Ginny followed her out.

"So you decided to come out?" Harry spoke as he looked back to find a wave, slowly, easily treading the dark waters without using his arms as he brushed a wet lock of hair back.

Hermione nodded, leaning back to look at the coming wave. "Gods, Harry!" He looked over at her questioningly, and she lifted her eyebrows high. "You're going to _ride_ that?" She stared incredulously at the huge wave that slowly approached.

"Yeah." He stretched his arms out and loosened them as she shook her head. "It's not as big as it looks, Hermione."

She shook her head with sudden chills running down her spine. "Oh, well.. Alright." Pulling her breath in as it came up, she dove under, trying to keep her eyes and mouth shut as the force of the wave dragged her farther under and over with immense power. Now she remembered why she hated going out that far. Finally coming back up, she choked for breath as she treaded the water; Harry, only a bit ahead of her to the beach, swam over.

"Are you okay?" He smiled, half concerned as she nodded, going underwater to spit and hack out the saltwater that had caught in her throat. "Are you sure?" A broad hand was placed on her bare back and she shivered again, leaning on it slightly as she coughed out the last of the water, though the taste remained in her mouth.

"Yeah.. Thanks, Harry." He nodded, rubbing his thumb along the center of her back in a soothing massage as though to relax her. "Thanks.. You can go back and catch more waves, if you want." She smiled, almost laughing at herself. "Heaven knows when you'll be able to do anything with me holding you back. I'll stay up here." Looking comfortingly to the smaller waves that rippled by in the still somewhat deep water, she nodded at him as he hesitated. "Go."

"Well.. Alright." Gently he removed his hand and her back tingled for a few moments as he reluctantly swam back out. She watched him come in four more times before all of them got tired, or in Ron's case, bored.

"I can't sit around and stare at girls _all_ night, you know," he had complained.

So they went back to the shop and quickly went back to the Weasleys' house, Ron, Harry, and Hermione apparating, to Ginny's dismay as she went into the shop alone. "Well, that was.. interesting," Hermione said to herself as she arrived at the house before the other three. Harry and Ron appeared almost immediately after, and Ginny in a few moments later. "I'm going to go to bed now, if no one minds."

Harry and Ron nodded lazily, but Ginny stared at them all as though they had all gone crazy. "What's wrong with all of you? 10 o'clock is _not_ bedtime. I'm staying up some more. Anyone with me?" She frowned as they all left her to go up the steps to their rooms.

"G'night, Hermione," Ron said, nodding back at her as he entered his room, half-asleep already. She could only imagine how short of a time it would take him to fall asleep.

Harry paused for a moment, causing Hermione to as well, rather nervously, for whatever reason. "G'night." She said the same, and rather awkwardly he gave her a quick hug before escaping into Ron's room, leaving her to change, then fall asleep in the one she was staying in, Percy's.

*****

Ron sat up on the bed, looking down at Harry on the floor. He had gotten the bed tonight, but Harry would on their last day before Hogwarts. Looking out the window, he yawned, then froze. The sun was already shining brightly in, but his curtains covered most of the light, leaving only a thin slice of sun. It had to be nearly noon; had Hermione _really_ let them sleep in for that long? Would Hermione _ever_ let them sleep that long? Or anyone for that matter. Maybe their complaints yesterday had been enough for her. No, Hermione wouldn't have given up that easily. '_Ron, who cares?_' he thought to himself. '_It's not like you need a reason to keep sleeping._'

"Ron? You're awake too?" Harry's eyes were open now, and he frowned. "I had thought Hermione would wake us early again."

"Yeah." Ron rolled off the bed. "Seeing as we're awake though.. D'you think she's awake?"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Ron, she's incapable of sleeping in. I'm fairly sure she is, at any rate. Maybe she decided to let us wake up really late and wind up learning out lesson or something." He paused, and Ron spoke.

"Listen, Harry, can we just stop contemplating this. My head is starting to hurt." Ron shrugged and rolled off the bed, changing into a loose pair of pants and a t-shirt while Harry pulled a shirt over his head and changed into loose pants. "So we'll go figure out where Hermione is, and then see what goes from there, alright?"

"Sure.." Harry yawned and Ron walked out of the room, quickly going up the stairs to see if Hermione was still sleeping, which she wasn't, before heading downstairs again. There was a note on the table in the kitchen reading:

Harry, Ron,

I've gone shopping, and I don't want to be a drag to the two of you, so I've allowed the two of you to sleep in, for today; I wouldn't want either of you nagging at me while I'm searching through the apothecary; when I'm rushed I tend to choose my ingredients rather poorly. If you'd like, or if you're awake by the time, then you can meet me at Zonko's at 1; I'll wait for a few minutes, seeing as there are a few things I need to buy there, but if not that's perfectly fine: I understand that the two of you need a certain amount of sleep in order to successfully cooperate with anything. Oh, yes, Ginny's gone shopping, but she's not going to be with me; we had a bit of a conflict over where to go, so don't expect to see her at Zonko's, if you were wondering. Well, tata, and perhaps I'll see you at Zonko's.

Hermione Granger

P.S. Sorry if you can't read my handwriting; I was a bit rushed, and seeing as my cursive is the quickest way for me to write, though not the most legible.. oh! I must be going.

(if no one can read that, here's a translation in Times New Roman :

Harry, Ron,

I've gone shopping, and I don't want to be a drag to the two of you, so I've allowed the two of you to sleep in, for today; I wouldn't want either of you nagging at me while I'm searching through the apothecary; when I'm rushed I tend to choose my ingredients rather poorly. If you'd like, or if you're awake by the time, then you can meet me at Zonko's at 1; I'll wait for a few minutes, seeing as there are a few things I need to buy there, but if not that's perfectly fine: I understand that the two of you need a certain amount of sleep in order to successfully cooperate with anything. Oh, yes, Ginny's gone shopping, but she's not going to be with me; we had a bit of a conflict over where to go, so don't expect to see her at Zonko's, if you were wondering. Well, tata, and perhaps I'll see you at Zonko's.

Hermione Granger

P.S. Sorry if you can't read my handwriting; I was a bit rushed, and seeing as my cursive is the quickest way for me to write, though not the most legible.. oh! I must be going.

Alrighty then, on with the story)

"What time is it?" Ron muttered a few words and looked at something on his palm. "Well, if we want to go see her we have approximately 2 minutes." He shook his head. "I can't believe we slept in for that long. Even without Hermione we should've been able to get up. Harry?" He looked over at him. "We're going to have a long school year."

Hermione finished buying what she needed at Zonko's and stood at the entrance for a few moments, waiting for Ron and Harry, if they were going to come. Ginny hadn't really gotten in a 'conflict' with her over their destination; she was meeting with Seamus for a Quidditch practice. Once she was sure the two weren't coming, she left the shop, carrying three bags. She wasn't going to have enough room in her suitcase for everything unless she enchanted it. Which wouldn't be a bad idea, except for the bits of security that Hogwarts had installed to detect that sort of thing. Oh well. She would find a way to avoid that, if she was to bring everything. Walking along the street, she paused, trying to remember what she had forgotten to buy. She had stopped at the apothecary for last minute ingredients, at the bookstore for _more_ books on spells, hexes, curses, and of course several potions (all of the advanced ones, no less), and she had paused for a few moments at a small trinket shop, buying a few odds and ends, such as enchanted quills and rather tightly compacted papyrus, among others. '_Clothes,_' a voice reminded her, and she reluctantly stepped into the rather large installment, looking through the store until she found the section for formal articles of clothing. As she looked from dress to dress, she paused when she felt the hints of a breath at her back. "Malfoy?"

She turned around, and it was him. "So, Granger, you recognized me." He smirked. "Looking for something you can look good in? I wouldn't bother."

"Because I already look good or because I won't find anything that does that?" She knew the answer he would give her, but it couldn't hurt; he hesitated.

"You know it's the latter; don't be dumb." He frowned and she shrugged slightly. "Besides, it's not like you're going to be going anywhere, are you?"

"For school, Malfoy. There are these things called dances, and all of the last years have to go to them. Particularly Head Girl and Boy." She frowned. At least he hadn't made any actually irritating jibes. Yet. "And besides," she began, borrowing his term, "it's not like you care, do you?"

He smirked. "Why would I?" Shaking his head, he looked at the dress she was holding, a slender white one, with a corset-like top and delicate lace lining the top with teardrop pearls dabbing along the webs of lace. "This one, Granger," he said, handing her a loose silk lilac one, a faint shawl draped around the middle along the hips of the slender dress, the definition of elegant simplicity.

"What..?" She looked up at him as she accepted the dress, draping it over her front to see what it would look like briefly. She smiled, a bit confused. "Is there any specific reason why?"

"Your hair won't look as bad with that on. It's lilac, Granger, know anything about the color spectrum?" She frowned, not quite meaning anger, but more an 'explain then' type of frown. A somewhat frustrated one that was being sarcastic. "Purple. Your stupid orange hair." She would have said something about how her hair was more brown, but she was actually interested. "It'll either emphasize it if your hair looks halfway decent, or it'll draw the attention away from it in a sort of mesh if it doesn't. Which is usually the case."

Hermione's eyebrows came together. "And you know this how?" Surely he hadn't taken some sort of fashion or styling class over the vacation.

"Because I'm not a half-wit like Crabbe and Goyle." Well, at least he hadn't used Potter and Weasley, as could have been the case. "Besides, I won't want to have to look at you if you're going to look as horrible as you probably would. You might break a window or something. Your mirror, most likely, and then I'll miss the dances having to take you to Madame Pomfrey."

She didn't comment on how he wouldn't have to take her to Madame Pomfrey, on how that would be a random act of kindness. If he knew what those were, of course. "Well then." At least they hadn't torn each other's hair out this time.

*****

So, I'll just skip the annoying end note I usually leave, and finish off responding to the reviewers…  Terribly sorry about my disappearing act.  Really.

                    And..  Er..  If I ever do  this again, someone e-mail me and flame me really horribly, would you?  Knock some sense into this head of mine.  (And..  Oh dear, this'll turn into a post story note after all.)  AND I've submitted two chapters now, so..  review both, please?  They're separate human beings, for goodness sake!  Or something like that.

**one**** crimson tie: I know I don't know how they would get in a big argument in the first place…  (My poor muse _was_ right in that I wouldn't know a plot if it bit me in the..  well, you know)  I wrote this story a terribly long time ago (as in even long before I ignored my poor fanfiction account), and so it's all written up 'til chapter…  7?  But the later ones are just a tad horrible, so revisions are in the process rather than new chapters being written.  As for arguments and such, I absolutely _love witty repartee (teehee.  silly me), but am simply doomed to failure when writing it.  I'm just a hopeless romantic (er, at least I was.  I won't get into what I am now).  So, please comtinue to read and review, if you ever see this.  :)_**

**natalie****: Erm..  I dunno about the dialogue.  It doesn't seem too confusing, to read it again, but perhaps that's just because I wrote it.  That's got to be it; I'm a bit daft sometimes about this sort of thing…  Many thanks for the review, and..  er..  well, we saw what happened with the whole update soon thing.  It won't happen again, I 'almost' promise!  Especially since I've found all of the chappies all nice and written out!  Gee.  With so few reviews, I really get into each of them, don't I?**

**Seelie****:** tee hee..  soon..  ha

**blossom318 **: OMG, I UPDATED!!!!!  AGAIN!!!  HOLY..  er..  yes, well, it is a rather rare event.  I was hoping to get more of a response before I updated, because I do rather like this fic, but..  I suppose it takes a while to get into it.  Maybe I should put "skip to chapter four" in the summary.  Or whatever chapter is most interesting thus far.  You tell me.

**margarinequeen**: I daresay this one wasn't worth the wait, but..  Ah, well.  It'll be a pity when I die (cough/hack-not)  Do make sure you give me links to your stories, would you?  Fill me in on what has happened, and I won't miss another beat.

**Cattt**** :  tee hee.  This response has become my trademark er..  response to reviews of this nature.  I should put a little circle thingy next to it and get it patented.**


	4. An Unexpected Encounter

**7th**** Year**

An Unexpected Encounter

By polar-zephyr 

Author's Note: I-i-i-i-I     O-o-o-o-ooooown nuttin'-nuttin'-nuttin'!

*****

She had finished paying for the clothes she had bought. And not that she cared so much about Draco's opinion, but she had bought the dress he had shown to her. '_Did I just call him _Draco?' Hermione frowned to herself and apparated to her temporary room, casting a quick spell on her single large suitcase before opening it to reveal a rather expansive area for packing, even after she had packed everything that she needed from home before the spell. Carefully she packed everything that she had bought in the last few days; more clothes, some food to smuggle in, books, a telescope and several other knickknacks, potion ingredients, hygiene items, and several more things. How had she bought so much stuff in the course of three days? Well, it didn't matter. Too much, anyhow. After configuring a spell that would get past Hogwarts, she enchanted the suitcase and tried lifting it; it was alright- moderately heavy, but that was definitely to be expected out of her.

"Hermione? Are you done packing?" Ginny popped up in the doorway, sweat dripping off her face uncharacteristically. "Oh, good. This was the worst day of my life!" It didn't sound like it was, but Hermione let her continue. "Do you know how much _training_ Seamus made me do? Every time I thought I was finished he made me run a mile, or practice swinging at the bloody bludgers again! I don't think I'm going to live to go to Hogwarts!" The girl's face was flushed and shiny, but she was smiling, all the same. "But do you think I should ask to be on the team? I really think I'm ready, this year."

Hermione smiled. "Ginny, you've been training for the past 3 years. Of course I think you're ready. I think you've been ready for the past two. You just need more confidence in yourself."

"Really?" She still looked doubtful. "Well, I suppose.. I'll ask Professor McGonagall when we get to Hogwarts.. Maybe. Well, I've got to go change before Harry and Ron get back. Where did they go, anyhow?"

"I'm not quite sure. Something about looking for Quidditch stuff. And if they ask you went shopping."

"Alright. I'll talk to you later then?"

"Maybe not. I'm going to be up here for the rest of the day; I haven't memorized this bit of a book for Charms." Shaking her head, Ginny left, leaving Hermione to study as she would, were she home. As tradition went, she studied until 10 before she realized that she should be getting to sleep. Harry and Ron had had the decency to leave her alone; most likely Ginny's doing, but Hermione didn't mind. She just needed sleep, right now.

*****

Hermione was silent in the morning when she awoke at seven o'clock. Quietly she took her shower and changed into her clothes, a low-riding pale tan skirt with slender lines of fluff going down in random areas and a silky black shirt with the Gryffindor sign low on the side of the hem line, the shirt long, reaching down to just below her waist, with a long, slender slit up the front that reached an inch above her stomach. She frowned when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Was that her? Frowning , she took the outfit off; she would stay conservative Hermione, at least for now, while the other clothes were a bit too much for her. So instead she pulled on a slender-fitting black shirt that skimmed over her curves and a black skirt reaching just above her knees; it was a bit more revealing, but with a robe it was traditionally conservative. As an afterthought she paired it with a wispy lilac shawl draped just below her waist as she had seen on the dress, though it was a different shawl; the shawl on the dress had been attached to the gown. Going back upstairs to 'her room', she gently pulled out the Head Girl badge from the envelope, slipping it on the top of her skirt just above the shawl. It was a beautiful dragon insignia on a glimmering sort of metal, the dragon made of innocent pearl, as far as she could tell.

"Miss Granger?" Mr. Weasley knocked lightly on the door to the room, and Hermione opened it, pulling on a long dark robe as she admired the shimmering effect the silk had in the light. "How are you, dear?"

Hermione smiled. "I'm fine, thank you. I haven't seen you in so long.."

"Well, I've only just arrived back home, so.. It's nice to see you." Mr. Weasley gave her a tight hug and released her. "My, you've grown over the year!" His exclamation was rather hushed, but still conveyed his surprise.

Hermione blushed. "A bit, I suppose. How was your trip to see Charlie?"

"Oh, fine, I suppose. But a dragon preserve in Iceland, no less." He smiled, looking to the suitcase beside the bed. "You'll all be going soon, I suppose?"

With a nod, Hermione spoke. "I woke up a bit earlier than the rest of them." She smiled lightly. "But I'm going to do a bit of last minute studying before we head off to the train platform." She paused. "Are you going to be taking us, or..? I'm sure Ginny will want company."

Mr. Weasley smiled. "Well you're kind. When Ginny wakes I'll tell her to be ready by quarter after 10, at the least. I'll leave you to your changing, then."

The man left and Hermione folded the robe back into the suitcase; she couldn't be wearing it to the train station or it would attract attention. Lifting the cage with her milky brown and white owl inside, she gently skimmed her hand along the downy feathers before returning her to on top of the bed. Pulling out one of the spellbooks that she had bought for her own purposes, she skimmed through it again before turning to the mirror in Percy's room, muttering "_Al-ïo-nara._" Almost instantly her vision clouded, then she opened her eyes again; her face was done up in makeup best fitting for her outfit. Her eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner, and a thin coat of powdery lilac was dusted in the crease of her eyelid and outward, the same shade as the shawl before it changed to a flaming sort of auburn that would match her hair at the outside, if it continued to become darker. Her lips were glossed over thinly, then muted dimly. No one would notice, right? Pulling her hair up into a clip, she let her curly hair ripple down over it once it was up, a few strands forgotten and falling down over her face in long lengths, as well as behind. At least it wasn't as frizzy as it had been before.

"'Mione?" Ginny's voice sounded at her door several minutes later, and she opened it; Ginny walked into the room, dressed in a pale tan skirt almost identical to the one Hermione had tried on before, as well as a thin, loose, dark blue jacket over whatever shirt she was wearing, icy blue writing in the corner in runes translated as angel. She paused when she saw her face. "How'd you do your make-up?" she asked as though that was what she had wanted to know in the first place.

"_Al-ïo-nara,_" she said to herself, and Ginny held her position for a moment before stumbling over to the mirror to admire the spell's handiwork. Highly glossed lips and a blue and tan blend of eyeshadows on and just around her eyelids completed her. "So what did you really come in here for?"

"I'm going to need to remember that," the younger girl said to herself, as though making a mental note. "Oh, right, I was wondering.. You're really going to come with me to the train station? You're not going to apparate with Ron and Harry?"

"Of course. I don't think I want to risk apparating there anyhow, not yet." Hermione smiled. "Besides, I need a girl's company."

Ginny's smile became heartfelt. "Thanks. I'm going to go finish packing; could you fix breakfast?"

"Sure." Taking her suitcase and owl cage down to the kitchen, she set them down and muttered a few words, pulling food from nowhere, as well as cooking utensils. The second would disappear once they were done though, so while the food was made she pulled out plates and eating utensils, setting the table.

"Hermione? You're.. cooking?" Ron's voice was slightly confused. "But I thought.. Oh well. We won't be able to taste the poison, will we?" He left as she tossed a dishrag at him, going back up to his room to change. He had gotten up at 9 voluntarily. _That_ was startling.

Harry came down after him, though a good thirty minutes later. "It's not poisoned, is it?"

She didn't even bother dignifying him with a response; instead she piled the pancakes onto a large plate in the center besides the bacon and frowned at him. "Is Ginny ready yet?" She frowned as he only shook his head, still sleepy though he was dressed and already stuffing his face. "Are you going to apparate?"

He paused for a moment and finished chewing. "Well.. I suppose I might. Depends."

"On what?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I'll ride with you and Ginny."

*****

An hour and a half later, Harry sat down on one of the seats in the train, carrying a bag full of chocolates and sweets from the vendor.

"What've you got in there?" Ron asked, trying not to grab it from him. "Chocolate frogs? Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans?" His leg bounced up and down impatiently until Hermione lay a hand on his knee, with a facial expression that seemed to say rather kindly that if she saw it bob up again she would dismember him.

Harry dumped the food out onto the seat and Ron and he attacked it as they had done every other year. Harry barely noticed Hermione's impatient sigh. "I'm going to go talk with Lavendar; she invited me down to speak with her for a moment, if that's alright."

"Perfectly fine, Hermione," Harry said between handfuls of jelly beans. "We'll save you some." Or not, as would probably be the case.

She left, shaking her head as she turned from Harry and Ron, stuffing themselves. Oh well. She would just find somewhere else to go until she was sure they were done and ready for sane conversation.

"Granger." As if on cue, Malfoy spoke; she turned to look at him, her robe billowing lightly behind her. "Take my advice?" he asked, reaching a hand out as though to feel the fabric of the lilac shawl.

She nodded slightly. "I suppose." Shifting slightly, she kept her balance in the strap-py black sandals that Ginny had adored so much when they had went shopping several months before. This was her first time wearing them, and she wasn't used to keeping her balance, much less walking in the dangerous stilettos. "How.. are you?"

Malfoy seemed to laugh, standing up off his leaning position against the wall. "I'm fine, Granger. No need to worry." He smirked as she gave a sort of uncomfortable smiling frown. "Anything you need?"

He stared at her expectantly and she glanced over to the side as though contemplating what to say. "No.. I'm just getting away from Harry and Ron for a bit while they eat. There isn't any sane conversation near them for at least a few hours." To her surprise, Malfoy smiled.

"So, avoiding them?" He paused. "Well. That's a first, from what I can tell." Malfoy walked forward; it was the end of the train, and no one else was on the back car, so there was room enough. "So, you're just going to be wandering around the train until we arrive at Hogwarts?" She didn't say anything; she didn't know what he wanted her to say. "Oh well. I'm sure you'll find _something _to do."

She frowned, still somewhat confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, Granger, nothing." There was a pause, and Malfoy obviously felt no need to fill it.

"So.." Why was she trying to keep up a conversation with him anyhow? Malfoy seemed to realize that as well.

Glancing down at her and catching her eye, he raised his eyebrows. "Is there a reason you care so much about talking to me?" He smirked, but even she could tell he didn't completely mean it, as was the case every other time.

"-No." She paused, taking a step back. Before she knew what was happening, she felt her ankle buckle, and she fell backwards, suspended by one hand that, for some reason, was clutching Malfoy's.

He pulled her up gently, only a hint of a frown tugging at his lips as his face seemed somewhat caring before going suddenly expressionless. "Careful, Granger. Don't hurt yourself."

She regained her balance, though her hand was still held by Draco. Was he actually being.. dare she say it, caring? With a pale blush, she murmured a thank you. Their bodies were suddenly close, due to the fact that he had to step forward to keep her from falling. Quietly, she coughed, not daring to step back in case she fell again. Hermione felt the light touch at her wrist disappear as he removed his hand, and she let out a breath that she didn't know she had held.

"Hermione.." His murmur made her look sharply up; he had _never _used her first name. Ever. She felt a hand lightly on her back and she stiffened. Was this _really_ Draco Malfoy? She wasn't quite sure as she felt her eyelids half-shut, and her body pulled gently up against another.

*****

Yes, this is definitely it.  I am so putting "skip to Chapter Four for a quick read" in my summary.  And to think I was a mere thirteen years of age when I wrote all of this.  Kind of sad, come to think of it.  I was a better fiction writer then.  *sniffle*

                                "Suz..  Suz, that's why I'm here..  Don't cry."

                                "Desi!!  You like me, you really like me!"

                                *subdued snigger*  "At least you've learned not to use love…"

*****

Tee hee.  Tis lacking in reviews, aye, it is.  Fix le problemme, s'il vous plait.  Merci!

                                "Suzanne, really.  You're 'français' is atrocious."

                                *sticks tongue out*  "Hush now, Desi."


	5. Why?

**7th Year**

Why?

subtle love-

Startled, Hermione pushed herself away, balancing cautiously as she stared at a grimacing Malfoy. It wasn't that.. "What _was_ that?" She wanted an answer, but he did too.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure. I'll go." He hesitated for a moment before turning, and she, surprising herself, walked up to him quickly, catching hold of his shirt before he swiveled around sharply. "What?"

"I-I just.." She fumbled for words, for once. "Just.. really.. What was that?"

"I told you; I don't know. Sorry." The words seemed forced as he frowned at nothing in particular. He watched as she shook her head feverishly.

"It's not that.. I'm just.. not sure. What this is." Hermione wrung her hands silently, but Draco seemed incapable of doing anything but watching her try to resolve what had happened.

"If you want to forget that, I'm fine." He shook his head, whether in disgust of himself or her she wasn't sure. "I don't _know_ what you want, Hermione. You don't either."

"I-.. but-"

He shook his head again, cutting her off. "It doesn't matter, right now. We only have the rest of the school year to- , whatever. Figure out exactly what's going through your head, Granger, before you try and voice it." With a last shake of his head as he avoided her eyes, he left, and she shrunk against the wall to the floor.

That had been close. If he had actually initiated any sort of relationship with a mudblood that didn't involve being cruel, or mean, or anything of that sort, he would get an earful from his father. He could hear him now: _'Hermione Granger? The one that's beaten you academically since you got in Hogwarts?' Lucious would frown the frown that scared so many of his 'co-workers'. 'That's ridiculous. I'll give you a week to get rid of this, but if you don't..' Threatening glare. Malfoy understood what that meant._ "Gods," he muttered to himself, shaking the thought. Why did she have to go and let him kiss her anyhow? Wasn't she supposed to hate him to the point of.. Well, who cared to what extent she hated him, but she was supposed to hate him enough not to dissolve it into some mutated form of love. He froze. _'love. Bloody hell, Granger, what have you done to me?'_ Glaring at the wall, he felt a sudden urge to kick something. But people were there. His pulse exploding against his chest, he stormed down to where Crabbe and Goyle were. They stared at him dumbly and he turned, pounding a fist into the wall with a silent shattering of his anger.

Slowly Hermione stood up, shakily regaining her balance and walking back down to Harry and Ron. She.. wouldn't tell anyone. Not yet. "Are the two of you done eating?" She seated herself across from the two, who were leaning back into the seats as though too full to sit up properly.

"I'll say. We're not going to have enough room for the feast at Hogwarts." Ron continued to stare at the ceiling, hands at his sides. If the two of them didn't notice anything different, then no one else would.

Harry leaned forward. "Are you okay, Hermione?" Scratch that.

She shook her head. "I'm fine, Harry. Just a bit worried. This is our last year here, you know?" She frowned thoughtfully. "Well.. The two of you should pull on your school stuff now. We'll be there in at most a half-hour." She hadn't realized time went by so fast when you thought for so long. Not that that made any sense, but it was something to contemplate later. The two just sat there for a few moments before what she had said went through their heads. "I'll leave now." She moved over into the next room, where Seamus, Ginny, and Dean were, talking. "I'm just waiting for Harry and Ron to change."

Dean grinned. "They're still changing?" He was already in standard black clothing, a slightly tight-fitting shirt and loose pants, with a long dark robe behind him. He had always been somewhat of a ladies man, with rather charming brown eyes and dark brown hair.

"Yes, Dean." She frowned. "You're not going in there and blackmailing them for anything. Got it?" She turned to face him with a half-smile as she found their faces a few sparse inches apart. Oh well.

He frowned rather playfully. "Well.. Alright.." At least she could still derive a normal response from _him_ of all people. Of course doing _that_ wasn't that hard.

"Wait, I didn't know Harry and Ron were over there," Seamus exclaimed, standing up. "I'm just going to say hi real quick with my camera-"

"Seamus-!" Ginny pulled him back down to the seat beside her where he had been sitting. "Don't- I'm sure you wouldn't want the three of us to come walking in on you while you were changing."

He grinned impishly. "Well, it depends on whether or not-"

"Be quiet!" Ginny shoved him nearly off the seat and he shut up.

"You can come back in, Hermione!" Harry said from the other room. He didn't need to shout to be heard, and he knew that. Unlike Ron, who shouted it a moment after.

"Well, it's unanimous." Smiling with a slight shrug, she got up and went back in looking over the two to make sure they had everything. "Okay,… good." The train came shuddering to a halt while she stood, and she lost her balance, falling backwards into the entering Dean's arms.

"I know you're falling for me, Hermione, but you're going to have to get up now." He looked down at her from her nearly fallen position.

She frowned, smiling. (did that make sense?) "Alright; I'm getting up. While you're there, tell Ginny not to suggest stilettos to any sane person while she's shopping, okay?" Chuckling, he helped her back up and got her suitcase out, handing it to her before grabbing his from the compartment beside it. She didn't know that his stuff had been in there. It didn't matter, but she didn't know. Stepping off of the train, she boarded a boat under Hagrid's supervision, and gently seated herself behind whoever was in front of her.

"Granger. Wonderful."

She frowned slightly as he turned around to face her, but he didn't say anything as Harry and Ron got on, along with Ginny and Seamus, then Dean. He shook his head and turned around again, not wanting to bother speaking with her if he was going to have to put up with her friends as well. It didn't matter to her right now.

They finally reached the main hall, watching as the first-years were sorted. Hannah Bëlle looked especially promising in Gyffindor, for whatever reason. Ron and Harry were both waiting impatiently for the food; they hadn't eaten as much as they had suggested, and had more apparent room, though they clapped at the appropriate times for new Gryffindors. "Harry." Hermione nudged him as he fell into a sort of clapping stupor while Dumbledore was beginning his speech.

"Oh, sorry." He stopped clapping and made sure none of the teachers had noticed, other than Snape, who had been glaring at him as he always did. Dumbledore spoke, but neither Harry nor Ron paid too much attention- they sang, they waited, then they ate. And ate. Hermione was surprised; for a pair of teenagers they ate more than what was conceivable. She shrugged it off though; she could talk to them in classes.

"Hermione Granger?" Professor McGonagall called the Head Girl up to where she was sitting, eating properly. "If you would like to go arrange your room how you'd like it, it's the room with the portrait of on the second floor. The password's Fawkes."

"Thank you, Professor." Nodding goodbye to Harry and Ron, as well as the rest of the Gryffindors, she quickly pulled her suitcase along the hallways, dragging them heavily up the stairs before muttering the password and slipping in, popping the suitcase open and hanging her clothes on the hangers of the closet, as well as folding some into the dresser that sat beside the gilded edged, full-length mirror. She arranged her books on the shelf that sat beside the desk, and set down her writing supplies on the desk, among the other generic school supplies. She sighed when she finished unpacking her suitcase, stuffing it in the closet beside her many shoes. Which reminded her to change out of the ones she was wearing into safer, normally heeled ones that looked _almost_ the same. Minus the stiletto, plus the nice steady heel-platform type support.

Draco had finished unpacking, as well as making sure of the design off his room. He would ask for a softer bed, but this one would do. The one at home was actually a bit too soft. Shaking his head at the trivial thoughts, he wandered out to the balcony; Hermione would be there, and maybe she had sorted out what she wanted to do. Not that it mattered to him. He just wanted to get through his last year, right?

A light cough told him that she was there, and she turned to look at him as he stepped out onto the balcony. A light breeze was playing with her hair, and her eyes glimmered, almost concerned, but mostly confused. "What happened back there, Draco? You tell me."

He glared at nothing in particular. Granted he had initiated it, but.. He had gone over this in his mind. With unfavorable results. "And I did tell you, Granger. I don't know. And I won't know until you tell me what exactly led you to let me."

She frowned slightly, as though she had thought about it. "Because, Malfoy. Just because. Because I thought that maybe you weren't how you had made yourself out to be the past six, seven years. Because maybe I thought.. I don't know." She paused as she caught his amused smile. "What?"

"Nothing. Continue?"

"No, what?"

"You've thought it all out already, but you haven't-... Just-.." He nearly grimaced as he realized what he was doing, leaning over to her, cupping her chin gently to tilt her head upwards. And it was as though he was just watching himself; he didn't know he was doing it. She gave in, as though she didn't know what else she could do, and he slid his lips down over to her ear, nibbling it lightly. "You don't know what you want, Granger. Just.. let it be, for now."

'_A girl with less sense would have pulled back,_' Hermione thought to herself as she let her body be warmed against his in fervent kisses. '_But not you, Hermione.__ Not sensible you.'_

XxXxX

A/N: I've decided to continue this fic.. Although chapters 1-9 have been finished for.. 2 years now, I'll be attempting to polish the writing, of both those I'm posting now, and posted previously.. It shoudln't change the storyline, however, so..

**Review**! Please- I update when I get reviews; then I know that people care that I do this.. love!

subtle love-


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